Members of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod remember C.F.W.
Walther as one of its founding fathers every May 7th. The
devotional, Portals of Prayer, states
that Walther was a champion of the chief scriptural teaching that we are saved
by faith, not works (Romans 3:28).
In preparation for my Colloquy examination, I read and
discussed Walther’s two seminal works, Law
and Gospel and Church and Ministry
with then-Vicar Justin Smith. It was not until I read President Matthew Harrison’s
At Home in the House of My Fathers that
I got a glimpse at the more human side of Walther. In addition to chronicling
Walther’s life through his writings, Harrison presents the reader with the
reasons why our founder wrote his sermons, essays and letters . He also offers
insight into Walther’s personal preferences and habits, such as good cigars.
Often, we take for granted the life and worship of Church
and forget the important work that theologians offer. People like Walther and
his successor, Francis Pieper, need to be remembered in the same vein as Saints
Paul and Peter, whose writings kept the early Church members from the dangers
of false teachings. As I continue to
preach and teach, I will be indebted to such theologians who offer insight and
creativity into why we live and worship as Missouri Synod Lutherans. Today,
thank the theologians not only for studying God’s Word, but also for correctly
and creatively presenting it to us.
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